


The Machine

by somanyhands



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Kid Sherlock, Machine - Freeform, nurture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-03
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-07 08:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/746643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somanyhands/pseuds/somanyhands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock had always been somebody's "machine".</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Machine

**Father** helped with Sherlock's studies.  
He was full of paternal pride when Sherlock, aged 5, could calculate, almost instantly, any multiplication Father would demand of him.  
Father called 5-year-old Sherlock his little "calculator machine" and he revelled in his success.  
Calculator Sherlock was content.

 **Mummy** nurtured Sherlock's musical talents.  
She was glowing with maternal love as Sherlock, aged 10, played, from memory, her most favourite violin piece, having learnt it only 2 days previously.  
Mummy called 10-year-old Sherlock her little "musical machine" and she beamed with delight.  
Musical Sherlock was motivated.

 **Mycroft** guided Sherlock to become a man.  
He showed restrained sibling admiration as he watched an adolescent Sherlock learn to control his sentimental side and repress his emotions.  
Mycroft called adolescent Sherlock his "narcissistic machine" and he reminded himself to keep a watchful eye on him.  
Narcissistic Sherlock was detached.

 **Lestrade** gave Sherlock a purpose in his adult life.  
He was openly impressed and grateful as Sherlock solved the unsolvable with his powers of deduction and reasoning.  
Lestrade called Sherlock his "crime-fighting machine" and kept him busy and distracted.  
Crime-fighting Sherlock was stimulated.

 **John** made Sherlock human.  
He showed genuine pleasure as Sherlock showed off his brilliance and developed a level of empathy for others.  
John called Sherlock his friend.  
When John called Sherlock a "machine", it wasn't said with pride, admiration or love.  
It felt wrong, agonising, confusing, hateful.

Sherlock was no longer content, motivated, narcissistic or stimulated.  
His calculations were incorrect, his music discordant, his emotions raw and his deductions slow.

And so, as he stood on that ledge and tried to explain to John that the Sherlock he knew was "a fake", he wasn't lying.

Sherlock had always been somebody's "machine".

He didn't know how to be anything else.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic/idea gnawed at me.
> 
> It begged to be written but I struggled with it.  
> It's one of those that I've spent too much time playing with, and re-writing bits but, I fear, the more I leave it unpublished, the more likely I will never be satisfied with it!
> 
> So, there it is!


End file.
